Tuesday was a confusing, chaotic day for the NFL and its players.
U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson’s order to lift the lockout Monday garnered more questions than answers.
Nelson’s decision to end the 45-day lockout should have opened the NFL facilities to the players, right?
Wrong.
A few players tested the waters Tuesday only to find themselves, for all practical purposes, still locked out.
New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins reportedly stopped by the team’s practice facility Tuesday and was greeted by Mickey Loomis, the Saints’ general manager, but he wasn’t allowed to work out.
The same rules applied for former LSU and current Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ryan Clark, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Cribbs and Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould.
But the New York Giants marched to the beat of their own drum, allowing defensive tackle Chris Canty to work out and talk with coach Tom Coughlin on Tuesday.
It was a perplexing day indeed.
The players didn’t know where they stood, and the owners didn’t know what decisions to make.
Nelson’s ruling was notched as a win for the players even with the impending appeal from the league and possibility of Nelson freezing her ruling.
All this litigation is great, but the bottom line is a collective bargaining agreement is still going to have to be reached.
The two sides, which have been even more polarized in recent weeks, are going to have to come to terms. In a battle in which neither side wants to budge, one of them is going to have to.
The reality of the situation is that neither side is going to get their way 100 percent.
How to split the $9 billion pot of revenue is at the heart of the matter.
The owners want an additional $1 billion off the top before the rest of the money is divided among the teams for player salaries. The owners cite the economy and rising costs of stadiums as reasons for more cash.
The players want transparency in the financial records to find out exactly where the money is going, but the owners have been tight with the books.
They are also at odds on a number of other issues, including an 18-game season, player retirement and health benefits and a rookie wage scale.
The un-capped terms of the 2010 season could be reinstated, allowing games to be played until the two sides come to an agreement, but eventually something has to give.
And the players are the ones who are going to feel the pain the longer the debate extends.
Monday’s ruling by Nelson was another win for the side of the athletes, but time is on the owners’ side.
With the average career of an NFL player a little more than three years, they become the big losers if games are missed.
Both sides are trying to win a public relations war.
DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the organization formerly known as the NFL Players Association, now known as a trade association, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continue to urge media their respective sides are looking out for the best interest of the fans.
But Smith is in it for the players, and Goodell is fighting for the owners.
The longer the two sides refuse to compromise, the further and further they are getting away from acting in the best interest of the fans.
Monday’s ruling was encouraging, but the fans only want a collective bargaining agreement signed and the nation’s favorite sport back to normal.
And that’s going to take some sacrifices — neither of which Smith and Goodell seem eager to make.
Follow Michael Lambert on Twitter @TDR_Lambert.
 
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Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]